This article is part of the “2017 Internship Newsletter” blog series. Though it is intended as a reference for students working through Career Education for their 2017 Summer Internship experiences, but much of the information may be useful to anyone pursuing an internship. Please be aware that some specific details and deadlines will not apply to all programs.
After weeks (or possibly months) of hard work, you have made it through the competitive process of securing your summer experience. On top of that, you’ve seen a successful end to the academic year.
It’s now time to plan how you will be successful in your summer experience. Have you considered how success will look for you this summer?
If you answered “no” don’t worry; you’re not alone! Preparing for your first day of work is different than preparing for your first day of school. Succeeding at your internship this summer will take a different set of skills than succeeding in the classroom.
This might be your first full-time professional experience. During these next few weeks, you and your peers will experience life as a full-time professional, while at the same time, learning new skills and living independently.
To ensure that you start off on the right foot, take a look at these quick tips and resources:
- 10 Things to Do Before Starting Your Internship (Her Campus)
- On Your First Day: Questions to Ask
- First Impressions: Professional DO’s and DON’T’s
- Wellesley Career Education Google Site
We look forward to hearing about all that you do this summer!
Next Steps & Deliverables
As you start your experiences, now is a great time to initiate a discussion with your supervisor to talk about what and how you will work with your team. To prepare for that meeting, we have outlined both reflection questions and talking points to create your Professional Development Strategy. This deliverable is due by the end of your second week of your experience; the Professional Development Strategy is available in both Google Drive and PDF formats (the latter to be used by students traveling where internet access or firewalls are a challenge).
Also, throughout the summer, we need to know where you are and how to get in contact with you! To make sure we have all your details, please complete this Student Contact Information form no later than Monday, June 12.
Finally, remember to register for the Summer Internship Credit by Thursday, June 8! As a Wellesley-Sponsored intern, applying for the credit will be minimal work as you are already pre-approved. Follow these easy steps to register.
Stay in Touch!
Have a workplace or other professional development question that isn’t answered here? Rest assured, the Career Education team is here to support you all summer long, and we look forward to hearing from you! Wherever you are in the world, we can communicate with you via e-mail, phone, video chat, WhatsApp, social media, and of course, The Hive.